DGAP-News: Tele Columbus AG: Tele Columbus builds city network in Borna

PRESS RELEASE

 

Time for a big dig

 

Tele Columbus builds city network in Borna

 

- Optical fibre city network to connect to almost 4,200 households

- Initial concessions to supply 3,773 homes connected

- FTTB supply from 2022

 

Berlin/Borna, 10 December 2020. Tele Columbus AG is building a completely new optical fibre city network to connect to some 4,200 homes in Borna, a town in the German state of Saxony. This investment is made possible through new concession agreements with Bornaer Wohnungsgenossenschaft eG (BWG), Bornaer Wohnbau- und Siedlungsgesellschaft mbH (BWS) as well as apartments already supplied by LEUWO Leuna-Wohnungsgesellschaft and other rental properties.

As a district town, Borna benefits from its proximity to Leipzig and Altenburg and is part of the vital Central German Metropolitan Region. High-performance broadband connections for households are an important factor for landlords in this region to help them stand out in the competition between residential locations.

The Tele Columbus Group was able to attract and secure the two major landlords BWG and BWS with 3,773 homes as customers for the first time. Now a city network is to be created to connect the homes with optical fibre right to the buildings (FTTB). The cable systems within the buildings will also be completely renewed. In the case of BWG and BWS, ducts are being included in order to provide the option of upgrading to full fibre to the home (FTTH).

Around 13 kilometres of underground access in public spaces is required to bring the fibre optic cables to the buildings. A new head-end will be built in Borna especially for receiving incoming television programming signals. The internet connection is provided via the Company's own switching exchange in Altenburg, 17 kilometres away. The connection will be established via a rented optical fibre line, whereby Tele Columbus itself will operate the active technology for transporting the signal.

The new network is set to be fully up and running by the beginning of 2023; it is likely that the IP connection for the telephone and broadband internet services can be used sooner by the tenants.

For Tele Columbus, the expansion in Borna closes a strategically important gap between the strong network locations in Leipzig and Altenburg, boosting the Company's market position in Saxony further.

 

About us

Tele Columbus AG is one of Germany's leading fibre network operators which reaches more than 3 million homes. Via its brand PŸUR, the Company, offers high-speed internet including telephony and more than 250 TV channels. All of this via a digital entertainment platform that combines linear TV with video on demand entertainment. To its housing association partners the Tele Columbus Group offers tailored models of cooperation and state-of-the-art services such as telemetric and tenant portals. As a full-service partner for municipalities and regional utilities, the Company is actively supporting the fibre-based infrastructure and broadband internet expansion in Germany. For its business customers the Group offers carrier services and corporate solutions on its proprietary fibre network. Besides its headquarter in Berlin, the Company has locations in Hamburg, Leipzig, Ratingen and Unterföhring/Munich. Since January 2015, Tele Columbus AG is listed on the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock exchange and a member of the SDAX.

 

Disclaimer

This release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the Company's current knowledge and expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this document.

This release contains references to certain non-GAAP financial measures, such as Normalized EBITDA and Capex, and operating measures, such as RGUs, ARPU, and Unique Subscribers calculations. These non-GAAP financial and operating measures should not be viewed in isolation as alternatives to measures of the Company's financial condition, results of operations or cash flows as presented in accordance with IFRS. The non-GAAP financial and operating measures used by the Company may differ from, and not be comparable to, similarly titled measures used by other companies.

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